It was about this time last year that a 20 year oldSouthport native by the name of Gavin Baldwin
started to take a firm grip on the hotly contested 2005 Clubman championship. With an overall victory
in the opening round at Grange Moor,Yorkshire and four more top three
finishes in the first five rounds, the #105 had really set the bar for the others in the class to follow. Riders like Carl
Ford, Dan Hardy, JamieLawrence and more so Mathew Milson soon stepped it up but it was Baldwin
who came away with the spoils, claiming victory at ‘The Butts’ after his closest rival in the title chase and
onlyrider who had any mathematical chance of the championship, Mathew Milson, DNS the round. Such
was the dominance of Baldwin.

A year on andthe
10th of May 2006 marks Gav (2005 ClubmanChampion) Baldwin’s
21st birthday. With a stuttering start to his 2006 campaign and with recent news that an injury had hit the former
champ Y.T.S.com thought of it to catch up with the Under 27’s hopeful before he heads out for his birthday celebrations
and get the latest on the injury and how he felt his year had gone prior to that….

Afternoon
Gav, hard day at work?

G.B- Not today mate no…..been
off since Thursday.

Obviously everyone has heard about the injury, but for those who are hearing the news for the first time, could
you tell us what you have done and how did you do it?

G.B-I’ve gone and fractured
myindex finger on my left hand on a gelatine machine at work. Back to work
soon tho, some of us have to graft!

Has there been any light shed on the length of time you are going to be out of action?

G.B-
Yeah
the Doctors have said approximately three to four weeks hopefully, but if I’m feeling Bass I’ll ride.

So assuming you sit the next few rounds out, do you see this as a huge stumbling block to what many are describing
as a slow start to your 2006 campaign?

G.B- I believe it could be yes
if I don’t race bass. As for the slow start, mate, the arm-pump has just killed me this year. I mean it’s been
an on going thing as you know but that’s really slowed me down so far, trying to get over it tho.

Were you looking forward to Bass? A few people were looking to you to really kick-start your year there did
you share their thoughts?

G.B- Well yes I guess I did.
I was hoping Bass would be a significant round. It’s a track I know very well had have done well on in the past. I felt
like I could have really shown the other boys in the class the way round that weekend, but like I say if I’m feeling
it, I’ll try to be there.

So with you presumably out and Dan Hardy announcing his hiatus from racing this year, is it a three horse race
for the title in the Under 27’s between Jamie Lawrence, Tommy Holland and current series leader Freddy Davies, or do
you think you still have time to really make a push for the spoils?

G.B-If Idon’t’ drop Bass and get as many points as I can I still believe I have a chance. In a championship
that’s as competitive as this one is every point counts, so if that means I’ve got to sack up and take a bit of
punishment in a fortnight, so be it. Consistency won it for me last year and if I can get that sort of form back you never
know(gives y.t.s.com a cheeky scouser wink)

No doubt you would have to finish in front of Freddy and hope Jamie and Tom can get between you guys?

G.B-Yeah, you know, Freddy,
saw the back of him at Ribchester and I wasn’t loosing any time on him…..didn’t gain any on him either like
but I’m there or there abouts speed wise. We’re all beatable at the end of the day I’ve just not had ‘my
day’ yet but it will come.

Jumping back to 2005 Gav, a memorable year for you when you claimed the Championship in the Clubman Class in
front of a very talented field. Did you go into that year with a clear goal of winning the series?

G.B- Well no, not originally.
I mean I’d just got back from a year away in Australia with Dan Hardy, on the beer and wasn’t feeling all that
fit to be honest but I’d dreamt all year (in oz) about winning that thing. So after getting the overall in the very
first round at Grande Moor I think it was, I got some new found confidence in myself and the bike and just basically went
into every round believing I could win. The Banter with the lads in the class was good too, guys like Fordy (Carl Ford), Dan
(Hardy), Jamie (Lawrence) and that….good times.

You secured the title at the penultimate round at ‘The Butts’ when Mathew Milson DNS any of the
races did that take any shine of your win, with many claiming you to have won the championship ‘by default’?

G.B-Who claimed that?!!!!! Send
them my way ‘laa’ I’ll open a can o’ whoop-ass!! (Laughs) Yeah but seriously it kind of did. I mean
I’d top five’d all year and felt there was no reason I couldn’t have won it that day, even with Milson there.
I must thank him tho for giving me a less stressfull day that weekend.

I read recently also that you had just secured a clothing sponsorship
with Alpeinstars for 06, with regard to your riding gear and very nice it is too as we all saw at your home race at Ribchester.
Obviously in the past the name Gavin Baldwin has become synonymous with the Wulfsport clothing brand and with your promotion
to the Under27’s class, did you see the switch (to alpeinstars) as symbolic to your growth as a racer in the more competitive
class?

G.B - Well no not really I just wasn't getting any more free gear off Bill Ha-ha!

-

No bad blood between you and Bill then obviously, he is of course
a valued friend and competitor and we all owe him a great deal as a sport, just time for a change?

G.B-Yeah correct, I was sold
on the gear that I seen Coppins and Townley wearing in the Gp’s, Thought that was nice so I thought I’ll have
some of that! I’ve kicked the Orange stuff to the kerb also.

I also noticed that you have been voted recently by ‘desperate-twinshockmotocrossers-houswifes&daughters.com’ as the handsomest twin shock motocross rider
in the world right now. Comfortably beating off the challenge of 2nd place Terry Kennedy. How far up does that
rank in the Gavin Baldwin MX achievement list?

G.B-It’s obviously…I
mean it’s up there….quite high. Terry is a good looking lad as well so I’m pleased…..but not surprised.
I’m trying to not mix business with pleasure tho (although y.t.s.com can attest
to the fact that he’s failing miserably) but I am single and out there sharking…………I’m
after a hot blonde, brunettes are fine like but my hearts set on a blonde……(about
15 second pause while Y.T.S.com organises some notes)………….8-10 inch waist preferably!

Just before we go Gavin have you had chance to check out http:/yorkshiretwinshock.tripod.com?
Its good in’t it?

G.B- I have and I think it’s
wonderful you’re all doing a grand job. It’s great or it’s a great, rather, chance to keep the twin shock
community together, because you know as well as I do how little we all see of each other so it’s a good way to keep
in touch. So if I do go to the AMCA next year I’ll be sad to leave the friendly twin shock paddock behind.

Thanks you’re your time Gav, hope the finger heals quickly and all the best for the rest of the year.